Not the Heroes
by thatblue
Summary: Aubree Stone's life isn't normal. The Doctor isn't looking for an adventure. But sometimes two people meet for a reason, and things are forced to change. This is the story of a girl who is impossible and a man that knows that nothing is.
1. Chapter 1

_Aubree had been running for miles-running for hours, honestly. And though her lungs ached and her heart beat wildly inside her chest, she didn't slow-couldn't give in. Kyle had vanished sometime back, lost somewhere in the hills, but still she moved forward. She knew the plan too well; knew that no matter what the cost, they couldn't be found. Her mind was consumed with dragging one leg forward and then the other; feet slapping ground. Aubree was so lost in that thought that she didn't see the figure in front of her, the man with his hands in his pockets, held tilted towards the sky._

The Doctor stood in the TARDIS; hand still on the lever even though minutes had passed since he had landed. He was alone again; his hearts beating only because they couldn't dare to not do it anymore. When he had flown away from Earth, he had decided to put as much distance as he could between the heartbreak he had caused and the hurt he felt. The coordinates were set to Amber Hills, a planet kindly exactly like its name. He couldn't get much farther away, and most importantly he would be alone. No running, no fear of losing someone. This would be just what he needed; he rallied himself and moved away from the console.

He opened the door, forcing a smile on his face, even though no one needed it but him. When his foot hit the pink grass he knew that he wasn't in Amber Hills. No, he was… He looked again at the pink grass. Pink grass, a pale purple sky, and just for good measure he sniffed deeply and there it was, the smell of cooking apples. He was on Sombro.

The planet had been uninhabited until three hundred years ago when humans had staked their claim. They had built and changed, and built some more, expanding as they went. They hadn't yet reached this spot though, as there was nothing as far as he could see in any directions. He closed the door behind him, deciding that this was just as good a place to be alone, as any. He had been to Amber Hills many times, and he had only been here once, when the humans had only been here about a year. And really, he thought, he knew little about this planet. It was new, and had been too quiet for anyone to take much notice of, even him. Yes, he would take a walk. See what he could see.

He paused, sliding his hands into his pockets and looked up to the sky again. It was cloudless and a shade of purple almost to pale to be considered purple. He gazed intently, never seeing the object that hit him at a dead run. He stumbled backwards but managed not to fall completely, the object, however hit the ground.

He took the lost steps back to it, which turned out to be a girl, who was looking up at him with wide eyes, lungs sucking in air as quickly as they could. He smiled down to her, forgetting that she had plowed into him, and offered her his hand. "Well hello, I'm the Doctor."

She took his hand but released it quickly when she was steady on her feet. She didn't look at him directly eyes searching the direction she had been running from. "Sorry, I didn't see you."

"No," the Doctor said, kindly. "That's okay, though. Are you okay?"

Her eyes met his for only a second and then were back studying the empty fields, "Yes."

The Doctor took the moment to read her body language. Her hands were curled into tight fist, but he didn't think it was a defense against him, and her breathing was rapid, her face red from exertion. This hadn't been a leisurely jog. "Are you sure?" He asked again. "If something is wrong, maybe I can help."

If nothing else that got her attention, she really looked at him now and he noticed that her eyes were as blue as the Earth sky. She even gave him a tight smile, and visibly tried to bring her breathing under control. "I doubt it," she finally said but the words were simply honest, not unkind.

"Well, maybe I can try," he gave her a kind smile, hoping she could see his sincerity. Her eyes had returned to the hills, though.

"Is something chasing you?"

She looked to him again, and didn't answer his question directly. "I've really got to go; you should either come with me, or get back in your ship and leave. And don't come back."

He gave a tiny glance to the TARDIS. She had brought him here, clearly knowing the need. Sure he could probably try to leave, but this girl needed his help and he knew that he couldn't walk away.

"Tell me how to help, you." He encouraged.

She offered him her hand, "If you're not leaving, it's time to run."

He looked at her hand and put his in hers. He could run, he was good at running.


	2. Chapter 2

**What do you think? Should I continue this?**

When they had run exactly a mile and a half, Aubree stopped. She let go of the Doctor's hand at once, as if touching him actually hurt her. Their pace had been steady, and the Doctor had to admire her endurance, wondering how far she had come before she had found him. She looked behind them again, but her face was calm this time, her hands relaxed at her side.

"Safe now?" The Doctor asked.

She looked up at him with a real smile, "Never safe. But safe enough for now."

"I never got your name?"

"I'm Aubree. You said the Doctor, right?"

The Doctor nodded looking at her eyes, which were now a light brown. The blue from before gone, and he started to ask her when she spoke.

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "About the running? No worries, I'm good at running."

"No, sorry that I didn't just make you get back in your ship and leave. That I dragged you into this, and what if I can't protect you?'

Her eye color was forgotten as he pondered her words. He didn't understand why she thought she had to protect him, and wasn't that his job. He was the one who stood in the way of danger. But she was clearly worried. "You don't need to worry about me."

She looked up to the sky, "The weather is going to start acting up, and there is a cave up just a ways in the hill." She looked back at him.

He met her eyes, and realized that was an invitation. Why not? He had followed her here, might as well go a little farther. "Lead the way."

She nodded turning her back and walking towards a hill to their right. Every once in a while she bent down and pulled twigs into her arms, and he realized she was gathering wood for a fire. He began to do the same and tried to find some answers. "How did you know that was my ship?"

She didn't slow or look back, "Why would a police box be in a field?" The Doctor smiled. "It's a TARDIS, right?"

"Yes," he agreed. "How did you know?"

"I know lots of things, Doctor."

He paused and tried to sort the thoughts that were running wild. "If we are hiding should we building a fire?"

She gave him a tiny glance back. "We're not hiding, not exactly."

"What are we doing then, exactly?" He pulled more sticks into his growing arm full.

"Seeking shelter, I told you the weather is going to start acting up."

They approached a ledge in the rock face before them. She put her pile on there and pulled herself up easily and looked down at the Doctor. He mimicked her movements and when they were both standing again she made her was down the narrow ledge. He followed in silence and it wasn't long before he saw the opening. It would have been almost impossible to see from the ground where they were, so she either had great sight or had been here before. She walked into the darkness without hesitation, but the Doctor shifted his load reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a flashlight, and shined it into the darkness.

The cave didn't go as far as he imagined and he could see Aubree standing at the far end, her hand on the wall. He watched her as she stood so still he was worried she wasn't breathing, and then she turned to him and smiled.

She dropped her bundle near the cave opening and he followed her lead. When she squatted down to arrange it he remembered her eyes. "Your eyes were blue earlier. They are brown, now."

She looked up at him, "That's because yours are brown… it's a thing." She waved her hand absently and returned to her work.

"A thing?"

She sighed and stood. "The last person I saw had a blue eyes, that's why they were blue. Then there was you, so now they are brown. Kyle says it's meant to be camouflage. Lousy job, if you ask me?"

"Your eye color changes around different people."

She looked at him like she thought he might be a little slow. "It must have come from the Medicine. I can't imagine why they thought it would be a benefit."

"Medicine," he repeated trying to follow the conversation.

She had returned to the pile, "Have you been to Sombro before?"

"Not in some time, "he admitted.

She nodded and reached into her pocked pulling out a match. She slid it along the rock and it lit. Throwing it into the pile the wood caught easily and she rose.

"My parents were from Earth. They told me stories. Why they came here I don't understand, but they did. And things were quiet, so peaceful it made you worry."

The Doctor nodded for her to continue. She walked to the wall and slid down. He sat close to her, but was careful not to touch her. "And then three years ago, things changed. People started disappearing off the streets at night. But no one really reacted. Then there was more gone, and they finally issued a suggestion. Walk in pairs. So Kyle and I did. Didn't save us though."

"Didn't save you from what?" The Doctor smiled kindly.

"The Dean?"

"Who's The Dean?"

"He's who's in charge now. And he's building an army. He kidnapped his soldiers, and gave them the Medicine and then made them different. Made them his Enforcers."

He tried to think of which question to ask her first. "He did this to you? Made you different how? Is that who you are running from?"

"The Medicine makes you different. Not really human anymore, well not completely human anymore."

The Doctor spoke "What does the Medicine do though, Aubree."

"It makes you be able to run faster, think better, see and hear more clearly and gives you amazing strength."

"And you have all of that?"

She nodded. "He didn't even ask. Just made us this, gave us super-powers. Like in those old books Kyle showed me."

"I'm so sorry," the Doctor murmured.

"The worst part, Doctor. The worst part is that we aren't the heroes."


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor sat against the wall, watching Aubree, who was now asleep. She was using her arm as a pillow, back pressed against the wall of the cave, which he suspected was done in fear of being snuck up on. The night was quiet aside from the rain, the crackle of the fire, and her slow steady breathing. He leaned against the cave wall, which was cool against his head, and closed his eyes, reviewing what she had told him.

She and several others had been on the run for two and a half years- they had split up by necessity, running in pairs. She had stayed with Kyle, who was her brother. The Medicine was apparently different genes from various species manipulated and given in a series of injections. It was meant to alter the brain so that they were more compliant but it hadn't worked as well as The Dean had hoped. The flawed subjects were meant to be disposed of but one of the Doctors had taken pity on them, helping them escape, and now she was alone.

The temperature dropped again rapidly, and he opened his eyes to see that it was snowing. Aubree had told him that it would, and that it had ever since The Dean had tried to control the weather. He knew that he would have to put a stop to this man, and his army, but he didn't think he was going to be able to do this on his own. He wanted to ask Aubree to come along, that he would take care of her, but he hadn't been able to say the words yet. How do you ask someone to walk back to the people who were going to kill them?

He looked back at her and saw that she was shivering in her sleep. He stood and pulled off his jacket and walked over to her, laying it on top of her body and returned to his spot by the fire. He wasn't really tired, but he shut his eyes anyway, hoping that perhaps sleep would claim the hours until daylight. He flung them back open however, and listened carefully, thinking that he had heard movement in the night. His suspicion was conformed when Aubree rose, moving to him faster than he could blink. She deposited his coat into his arms, and gently but with clear strength, she had pushed him back down so that he couldn't stand, and then she was by the cave opening. He realized how much she must have been holding back when they had run together. She could have made the mile and a half in minutes.

His mind was frantic, trying to figure out how to get them both out of this alive, unsure of the danger that was coming.

_Aubree feared that she had pushed him too hard, but there was no way she was going to let him face what was coming. She didn't peek out like she wanted to, deciding instead to wait and attack from her post. She may not have been made for anything good, but she didn't see why that meant she couldn't try to be. Truthfully if this was the end, she wouldn't have fought it. Kyle was gone, and she didn't know where the others were. She could never return home, and she was alone. But there was a reason to live behind her, a man she dragged into this situation. And she would somehow make sure that no harm came to him._

_When a blur of a figure finally came into view she reacted on instinct, moving forward in a shove that would carry it far enough away to give the Doctor a chance to escape. And then she could go from there, but something stopped her and though the push was done, she caught the figure as quickly pulling it back to her. Now that it wasn't moving she saw who it was, and nearly cried._

"_Kyle," she threw her arms around him, ignoring the pain that physical contact brought._

_He lifted his arms too, clearly not caring about pain, and so thankful to see her. "I followed your trail as best I could. I'm sorry I disappeared but the Enforcer is following a different trail now."_

"_I thought I lost you," the pain was beginning to make her weak in the knees so she released him and took a step back._

"_I wouldn't let that happen, Aubree. I told you I would always take care of you." His eyes moved to the Doctor._

_She looked back at him too, his face calm but serious. "This is the Doctor, Doctor this is Kyle."_

"_Hello," the Doctor said brightly._

"_Hi," Kyle returned._

_Aubree noticed Kyle's eyes which had been as blue as hers were now green as grass. She lifted her hand but stopped inches short of his face holding her hand in the air. He smiled at her, and shook his head. "It was only a stranger in passing. Nothing to worry about."_

_But Aubree did, as that was what she spent most of her time doing. She stepped farther back into the cave moving closer to the Doctor who offered her his coat again. She shook her head no, but he held it out still, insisting. "You're shivering. I'm not, makes since that you would take it, yeah?"_

"_All right," she agreed, and he held it open for her to slide her arms into. As he was pulling it up, his hand brushed her neck and she let a small gasp slip._

_He took a step back, but grabbed her now covered shoulders and turned her gently to face him. "Aubree, does it hurt when someone touches you?"_

_Aubree and Kyle both nodded. The Doctor looked concerned so Aubree tried to brush it off, shrugging her shoulders, the coat was too large however and she doubted he noticed. "Yes, they didn't exactly want us getting friendly. So they made sure that any contact with another person caused great pain."_

_The Doctor's eyes seemed darker and his face became hard and Kyle stepped forward to try to pacify. "It's okay, you know. It's just how things are for us."_

_The Doctor looked at them both, his voice more gentle than his features. "It's not okay; everyone deserves to be able to have their hand held. Or be given a hug. I don't know how yet, but I promise I will find a way to fix this."_

The Doctor felt sadness and anger fighting for control but he pushed them back. He promised them that he would fix this and he would, but that all started with finding this man, who thought he had the right to wreck innocent lives. "I'm going to find The Dean. Will you guys help me?"

Kyle didn't answer at first but Aubree nodded at once, "I'll do anything I can to help." She paused, her face hopeful. "Do you really think you can make us normal again?"

"I will do everything in my power to fix what they did to you," He promised her again.

"Well," Kyle said. "I guess we are in, head to town tomorrow?"

"Tommorow," the Doctor agreed.

"And we can pick up a few friends along the way."


	4. Chapter 4

The day was warm, the Doctor's jacket was returned and the three of them were walking soaking up the sun. "You do know where you're going?"

Aubree managed a laugh, "Me? I don't have a clue. Kyle knows, though. The tracking part of me never mutated."

"I know where we are going. We can do this quickly; we are going to start with Adam and Aiden, Aubree."

The Doctor didn't miss the hopeful, but sad look on Aubree's face. "Adam is coming?"

Kyle stopped walking and looked at his sister, "We need him. Don't you want to see him?"

When Aubree didn't speak the Doctor asked, "What's wrong?"

Still nothing, but Kyle answered. "Aubree and Adam were a couple, but then we had to split. They couldn't touch; I couldn't leave her with him. "

"You were afraid they would kill themselves, ignoring the pain, just to be close."

Kyle nodded, and a tear escaped Aubree's eyes. The Doctor felt anger running through him, and he fought it, pushing it down again. The Dean had made them so they couldn't touch, but here were two people so in love they would die to do it.

"It doesn't matter now," Aubree finally spoke. "It's been months, I'm sure he's over me."

The Doctor wanted to hug her but didn't, "We better keep moving."

"Right," Kyle agreed and they pressed on. "It's not too much farther. As it happens they are actually close to us."

Silence settled in again, covering them like a blanket. The only noise was the sound of their footsteps, until they heard a voice. "Kyle?"

"Yeah," Kyle agreed, though the Doctor couldn't see the speaker.

In a flash there were two boys, standing in front of their group, one had his eyes locked on Aubree, and the Doctor knew that this was Adam.

"A?" the voice was soft, full of regret.

"Adam," she moved to him, ignoring the pain that would follow.

He didn't speak, just pulled her to him and kissed her lips, slowly, savoring the moment. Tears began to roll down Aubree's face, and the Doctor knew that it wasn't joy. "Let her go," he told Adam and the boy released her.

Aubree wobbled but remained standing.

"Sorry, A," Adam told her.

"So worth it," she returned.

_She thought of how his lips tasted the same after all those months and how is eyes, now a pale green, still looked to her first. She could never let him go, carrying him with her no matter how far they ran. And she was so glad that their love still meant that much to him. She finally looked away from him, knowing that they needed to make town by nightfall._

"_Can you guys get the others," Aubree asked the three boys._

"_Yeah, need about an hour."_

"_Okay," she agreed nodding her head and looking at the Doctor. "I'll stay with him, meet us back here."_

"_See you in an hour, then," Kyle agreed, "Come on you two, and Adam stop looking at my sister like she is dessert."_

_Adam chuckled, "Sorry, the sweetest thing I'll ever meet, though."_

_Aubree rolled her eyes at the cheesy line, but she had missed it. "That made me a little sick to my stomach. Now go."_

_With a kiss on the cheek from Adam, the three of them disappeared into a blur. _

_With them gone, she looked at the Doctor who was watching her intently, "Would you have let that kiss go on until it killed you?"_

_She was puzzled by the questioned, by how much he cared. "Probably. Haven't you ever loved someone that much?"_

_The Doctor smiled but it was sad and she regretted asking the question. But he answered, "Yes. I suppose I have. So what do we do while we wait?"_

"_You don't have to fight this battle for us, you know?" _

_The Doctor looked surprised. "What do you mean?"_

"_We are just eight kids, who got messed up, if we are wiped from existence, it's not going to change anything."_

"_That right there is exactly why I have to stay. Someone has convinced you that you aren't important enough to live, that you don't deserve to be happy, and I'll do anything to prove they are wrong. Because they are you know," He paused, his eyes wide and convincing. "So wrong, you deserve to live, you are worth it."_

_She didn't speak, touched that he cared, but knowing that he was wrong. If they were erased by the Enforcers life in the town, on this whole planet would still go on._

_He looked at her intently, as if he knew what she was thinking. "How old are you?"_

"_Twenty," she answered unsure._

"_Twenty short years. There is so much left for you. A whole planet, whole galaxies, that you could leave your mark on. Why should it end here?"_

_She wanted to tell him that she hoped it wouldn't. That she was counting on this man that was becoming less of a stranger and more of a friend with every moment. That she trusted him to make this life worth living again. But she couldn't say those things so she picked the truth, "Sometimes we don't get to decide."_

_He looked at her, eyes kind, deep and hurt. "Well I have."_


	5. Chapter 5

**Have I mentioned I don't own Doctor Who**

The Doctor watched Aubree settle on the pink grass, back against a tree, never wanting someone to have the chance sneak up on her. Her small fingers ran through the grass, gently and slowly and he realized how much she reminded him of the daughter that he had once had, so many years ago. She was smart and resourceful, but kind and a little lost. The comparison killed him and made him feel better at the same time. He couldn't save her, but maybe he could save Aubree. He thought of how his whole life seemed to be him trying to redeem himself for all the bad. And he knew that the rest of it would be too, he would never stop trying to outrun the hurt and fill the holes with hope and love.

He had always done this for all of them, for everyone that he had lost, every life he touched and in turn ruined. But saving Aubree would be just for her, for the memory of one little girl looking up at him, like he was the greatest man that ever lived. He would do this for his daughter. He walked over and sat down beside Aubree close enough to feel comfortable but not enough to accidentally cause her pain.

He mimicked her movements running his fingers through the silky, soft grass. "Are you okay?"

She looked at him, her hand stopping, "Yeah. Are you?"

"What makes you ask that?"

"Maybe other people can't see it, I don't know. But your eyes are too deep, too lost, and too old not to be full of hurt. You can tell me if you want." He gave her intent look. "Or not. It's okay."

"It hurts to bring it to the surface. " He admitted, surprising himself.

She just nodded. "It hurts to hold it underneath."

And she was right, but maybe holding it in let him pretend a little better. But her eyes were so bright, so lost, and he wanted to give her something to help her feel like she wasn't alone. "I lost my family…a long time ago. So many years. There was a war."

"The time war?" She asked him her voice soft as the grass.

"Yes," he nodded. "I lost it all, my wife, my children. Everything I loved."

She looked at him for a moment and scooted closer to him and reached out for his hand. She grabbed it and he tried to pull back but she held tight. "I'm so sorry for what you lost. And forgive me if what I am going to say comes out wrong…and please don't leave me here alone if I upset you."

He looked at her, tears running down her face and he wasn't sure if it was pain from the contact or if she was scared. "Are you hurting? Don't hold my hand if it hurts you, sweetheart." She just shook her head so he tried again "I won't leave you alone, I promise."

She paused and then spoke. "We get to love again, no matter the pain, or the loss. And whatever you lost, however bad you hurt, there is someone out there that will love you enough to ease that. Enough to make you feel like you are worth love again."

"How can you believe that I'm worth loving, if you don't think that you are?"

She didn't answer just held his hand and leaned against the tree. The silence wasn't uncomfortable but he still felt the need to speak. "Are your parents alive?"

She shrugged. "They were last I knew, but anything is possible now."

"So when I get this all sorted, what do you want to do first?"

"Hug everyone that I can."

He smiled. "Sounds like a great plan."

"And then…maybe try to go leave my mark on a few galaxies."

"I think that is a great idea."

He could hear movement in the distance and Aubree was standing and moved in front of him. He couldn't let her protect him like this, and he tried to move around her but she held him in place with one hand behind her. He couldn't move, though the grasp on his shirt wasn't tight, just strong. "It's probably the others. Just wait a second." She released him.

In a moment, there a group of seven standing before him, they were all men except for a blond girl with sky blue eyes. Adam smiled at Aubree, his eyes brown now like hers. "Miss me?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should leave and try again?"

She grinned and he moved closer but the Doctor held up a hand, he wasn't going to let them hurt each other. Adam stopped. "I won't ever leave again if I can help it."

"Good," she agreed and looked at the others. "Hi guys. This is the Doctor."

"I explained," Kyle said from the group. "Quick introductions then?"

He moved to the left starting with the girl. This is Amree, Kayden, Asher, Alex, Karson, and Acton."

"All K's and A's?"

"They Dean gave us our names. Kind of a weirdo," Aubree offered.

He looked out at the group. "Nice to meet you all." The eye colors which had been varied were all chocolate brown. "Why brown? You don't affect each other."

Aubree shook her head. "Eye color reverts to the closest human that isn't an Enforcer."

"Right," he agreed. "Let's go, then?"

They all nodded, and he saw them walking in pairs, in front of him. He expected Kyle to walk with him and Aubree to walk with Adam but she didn't leave his side, or release his hand. He asked her while they walked. "I'm not complaining but doesn't holding my hand hurt you?"

She gave a shrug eyes on the field before them. "Yes, but not bad. Less than you would think. Do you want me to stop?"

He knew that she just wanted contact, and that she couldn't have been touched much in the last couple of years. "No, as long as it's not hurting you. It's nice."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Hands are cold."

"Lower body temperature," he realized that hers were warmer than a normal human. "Higher body temperature?"

"Yep," she agreed. Then she stopped walking, and he noticed that the others stood still also.

"Enforcers," she whispered to the Doctor and now she did release his hand. She walked away from the group and Kyle joined her at her side. "Stay here." She told the others. "Protect him." She pointed to the Doctor and then Kyle and Aubree spun around and took off at a run.


	6. Chapter 6

_Aubree was running with Kyle at her side and the moment was overly familiar. They were always running, but at least they were together, at least she didn't have to be alone. She felt empty at the thought of being alone, as though she had spent a lot of time doing it, but she knew that wasn't the case. Kyle was there, and she had her parents, but the feeling was almost too much to breath. She stopped, knowing that she shouldn't, but she couldn't go on, and the air wasn't filling her lungs. She was gasping in panic. _

_Then her mind was filled with an image of a red head talking to her in a hallway. As soon as it came it was gone. She shook her head and felt pain when Kyle grabbed her face. The hurt was enough of a shock for her to take a real breath in, and then she gasped trying to replace what she had missed._

"_Are you okay?" Kyle released her as soon as she took the first breath but he squatted down, concern in his eyes. _

_She looked at him, the best brother she could ever ask for, and decided against tell him what she had seen. "Yeah, sorry. I'm not sure what happened."_

_He shrugged and stood up. "Long as your okay. Let's go, they headed west."_

The Doctor had made small talk with the group but they seemed less willing to share than Aubree had, and he was glad that she was the one that had ran into him. If it had been someone else in the group they might not have been so willing to share and then they wouldn't be on their way to stop this Dean. He looked to a sandy blond who was squatted down, brushing his fingers against the grass softly similar to what Aubree had done earlier. He wondered if it was for comfort, something to replace not being able to touch another person.

What was his name? Acton? "So do you know what your name was before?"

Acton looked at him, surprised, but then smiled. "No, I like to pretend it was something different. Anything but an A or a K."

The Doctor nodded, smiling encouragingly. "Why don't you guys give yourself new names?"

Acton frowned, "I don't know. I guess these names are all we have. However bad the memory it's still a memory of home." The boy's hand stilled. "Aubree said that your hand didn't hurt as much as she might have thought."

He wondered how he had heard that, but then remembered how sensitive their hearing was. "Yeah." He didn't know what the boy was asking. "Do you want to see?"

Acton bit his lip and then nodded looking embarrassed. "If you don't mind."

The Doctor shook his head, "No reason to be embarrassed." He held out his hand and the boy scooted closer. It was obvious he wanted the contact, grass wasn't enough to live on, but he also didn't want to hurt. "It's okay."

The boy slid his hand into the Doctors and then looked at him with a smile. "She was right. It's a little tingly but it's not so bad at all."

"I'm a different species, maybe that's why." The Doctor didn't move his hand holding it out to the boy still. He couldn't pull it back, and he wouldn't take away the contact that he needed.

The boy released let go after a moment and the Doctor dropped his hand. "Your genes in our cocktail?"

"No, I'm the only one. No loose genes floating around."

Acton nodded. "I would like my name to be Dylan."

"That's a good name," the Doctor nodded. "You can call yourself that if you want. The Dean doesn't have to define you."

"Maybe after we stop him," Acton nodded and then rose suddenly. "Their back."

The Doctor rose and waited until Aubree and Kyle came into view. When they slowed he could see their injuries and realized they had to fight instead of just leading them somewhere else.

Aubree leaned against a tree, a large gash above her right eye, blood flowing down over her face, which she kept wiping in vain. She had the other hand wrapped securely around her stomach that the Doctor knew was guarding an injury. The Doctor looked at Kyle who slid to the ground, holding his left arm, which looked to be out of socket. His hair was matted and bloody in the back. The Doctor didn't know who to go to first, but Aubree spoke.

"There were too many, but we stopped them." The words came out strained. "Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that just a name, or can you help?"

"Both," the Doctor told her searching his endless pockets. He hadn't been prepared but he carried a lot of items anyway. Hopefully medical supplies lingered somewhere.

"Him first," she told him and slid down the tree with a gasp.

The Doctor didn't waste time arguing. They both needed help and the sooner he was done with one the sooner he could help the other. He squatted down in front of Kyle who looked up at him. "I need to touch you," the Doctor told him and asked him.

"Right," Kyle nodded.

The Doctor didn't want to hurt him anymore. Even if his contact wasn't unbearable it still hurt and would just add to any pain that Kyle had. Still he had to do it, and reached his hand up to Kyle's head feeling his skull gently. "Where do you hurt?"

"My head and my arm mostly," Kyle answered quietly his voice strained with pain.

The Doctor released his head, the wound probably needed stitches but that wasn't something he could do here, but there didn't appear to be any damage to the skull. He searched until he found his pen light and tilted Kyles head up and shinned into one eye than the other. The pupils reacted quickly thankfully. He returned the light and ran his hands down Kyle's spine and then the arm that he wasn't holding to him, then down his legs. "Your stomach hurt?"

"No," Kyle shook his head. "Just my arm."

The Doctor nodded feeling the shoulder, and then he took a breath. "Count to three."

"One, Two," and the Doctor pushed the shoulder back into place with only the slightest gasp from Kyle. He was searching his pockets for something to make a sling with when Acton handed him his jacket.

"Thanks," the Doctor told him and tied it and slid Kyles arm into it. He encouraged Kyle to lean back. "Just going to check your abdomen real quick."

He ran his fingers over the rips which made Kyle gasp but they didn't feel broken and his stomach didn't feel rigid. He rose. "Rest." He spun around to face Aubree who had her eyes closed. "Aubree?"

He squatted down in front of her, and reached for her when she didn't respond. When his fingers touched her face she opened her eyes. "There you are." He pushed his sleeve up to her wound applying pressure to stop the flow.

"What hurts, love?" He found himself being gentler with her, not that he hadn't been with Kyle.

"My head," she informed him, her voice sleepy.

"Got to stay awake," he told her kindly, but firmly. "Just your head?"

When she didn't respond he looked down to her closed eyes. "Aubree?" He didn't want to shake her without knowing her injuries so he touched her face and neck in hopes that the pain would rouse her. "Aubree, talk to me?"


	7. Chapter 7

It was only second before she opened her eyes, but for the fear that had gripped him it might as well have been years. She looked up at him again, her face managing a smile. "Hi."

"Hi, stay awake for me okay," he murmured trying not to let on how much he felt in that moment, realizing how much he had come to like this girl in the short amount of time he had known him.

"K," was the only acknowledgment, but when he looked at her, she was looking up at him.

He pulled his sleeve away, it was soaked in blood but the wound seemed to have stopped bleeding. He looked better at it now, and though it needed stitches he couldn't do anything about it. He felt the rest of the skull gently, thankful nothing seemed injured. Her pupils reacted slowly. He checked her back and arms; she took in a deep breath when he touched her right elbow. "Your arm hurt, Aubree?"

"It's not so bad," she lied.

"Right," he pulled it gently away from the protective grip it had on her stomach, which made him worry more than the arm. He hated the pain he was surly causing her because of touching bare arm but she didn't moan. He felt her skin, warmer now than before, and though he wasn't sure what was normal, he suspected this was too high. He could feel the fracture beneath his fingertips but it seemed stable so he lowered her arm to the side. He checked her legs and then he tried to get her to lie back against the tree.

"I'm okay," she fought back. "Really."

"Aubree," Adam spoke from his spot only feet away, his eyes worried. "Let him help you."

She gave a tiny sigh, and he supported her weight as she leaned back a little, when she was secure he moved his hands to her torso. The ribs were bruised but didn't feel broken but when he touched her stomach she pushed his hand away quickly. She managed to roll a little onto her side and dry heaved on the grass. When she seemed to be done he helped her sit back up more worried than before. "All right?"

"Just the pain, I think," she told him. "I'm fine, now."

He studied her carefully, he could make her sleep for the moment it would take him to see what was wrong, but he was worried about her sleeping still. Still, he couldn't do that to her again, he raised his left hand to her head stroking her hair gently before sliding his fingers down to her temple. He felt the connection, but he didn't look, just issued a command. "Sleep."

And she did, eyes closing and she lay still. The Doctor didn't like this at all so he moved his hands over her stomach quickly but carefully. There was a large amount of bruising but he didn't think that she was bleeding internally.

"Are they stable?" Adam asked him.

"As stable as I can get them," the Doctor agreed.

"Not going to slip off in their sleep?"

"No, I don't think so," the Doctor shook his head, feeling a little confused.

"They need to sleep, then," Acton told him.

"I," the Doctor was going to tell him that he didn't think that was the best way but stopped when Acton held up a hand.

"Really, it's how we heal. As long as an Enforcer isn't going to die, then they need to sleep. Both of them will be fine when they wake."

The Doctor sighed. They knew better than he would since he didn't know what their bodies were made up of now. He nodded, deciding to leave Aubree in the sleep he had induced and looking to Kyle. He walked over to him and squatted. "Can I help you sleep?" When Kyle nodded he reached for his temple and prompted him as he had done for her.

It was decided that they would have to stay the night, and though he had wanted to get to town tonight, he wouldn't do anything to harm his new friends. They scattered, though they stayed close. A dark haired boy, Asher he thought, had climbed a tree and was tying rope around it, with something that resembled a tarp strapped to his back. Then the Doctor watched as he jumped from tree to tree easily, tying and spreading the object until at last it covered the section of woods that they were in now, and he slid down the final tree with a smile.

"Can't have it snowing on us," he told the Doctor easily, seeming more confident in him now that he had helped Aubree and Kyle.

The group moved swiftly asking nothing of him except to keep an eye on their friends and he did that as well them. He saw a fire quickly being built and a metal grate being put over the fire, and a pot put on top. It wasn't hard to tell that they had learned to survive without help, adapting as they went. Their actions were like a well rehearsed dance, every movement from one adding to the action of the next. Survival knew no bounds.

"Is it okay if we move them?" Adam asked him.

"Sure, I'll get Aubree," he felt protective of the frail, but very strong girl that was resting against the tree.

"Right," he nodded. "I've got Kyle."

The Doctor noticed that he didn't even give it a second thought, reaching out to take Kyle gently but with a strength that put the Doctor to shame. When they were laying near, but a good distance away from the fire, the rest of the group sat down too.

"Stew is almost ready," Adam said, to make conversation.

"You all are really amazing," he told them honestly.

"This?" He shook his head. "This is what it takes to live, that doesn't make it amazing."

The Doctor felt sad, the Dean had taken kids and turned them into shells. No, that wasn't true. They were good and kind, and loved each other and accepted him, but they didn't know what it meant to have someone else love them. Someone outside of the group.

"I disagree," he told him, kindly.

"I'll take amazing," Amree smiled at him. "Nicest thing I've heard in a while."

"Thanks Am," Kayden sighed, and the Doctor remembered that they had walked together. "I told you that you looked nice the other night."

"I was covered in dirt," she argued.

"So?"

"Seriously," she sighed.

"Come on, now. You know that I always think you are great."

She nodded leaning into him for only a second. Apparently Aubree and Adam weren't the only couple here. He smiled, and realized that Adam was offering him a bowl of that was steaming. He took it and the warm smell reached his nose and he realized he was hungry. He waited until the others had theirs and started to eat then he started on his. It was thick and warm, with a form of meat and potatoes.

"It's weird," Adam said from his side.

"What's that," the Doctor asked him. This whole thing was weird so he needed it narrowed down.

"We aren't supposed to have memories from before," he told him and seeing the Doctor nod he pushed on. "But this lot didn't mutate right, anyway, sometimes memories slip through."

"Yeah," the Doctor didn't offer anything but encouraged him to continue.

"I grew up with Kyle and Aubree," he told him and his face seemed sad. "I know that I did. I know that, but there's something wrong with that."

"What?"

He sighed like he didn't want to say it. "In all my memories Aubree isn't there. It's like I know that she is, but she really isn't."

The Doctor's mind was running. It was possible that this was nothing, memory loss from having so much happen to their minds, but he didn't want to say more.

"When is the first memory that she is in?"

"I remember about four years ago, walking on the beach with her, and the sun reflecting off her eyes, blue then. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "

The Doctor smiled. "But nothing from childhood."

"No, lots of memories have come back, but in them all she's only a thought. What does that mean, Doctor?"


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry. I don't think this chapter turned out very good.**

_Aubree was dreaming, something that usually didn't occur, but she wasn't unhappy about the dream, at least at first. She couldn't see a face but she could hear the voice, sweet and so much like a mother, but not her mother. Whoever this voice belonged to, it seemed to care about her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't her the way she was now. It didn't make any sense though; she was who she is, always and forever. What other option is there? Then the dream turned on her, changing from odd to scary, and a pain hit her and if she had been standing she would have fallen. And then she felt like she was dying, but she wasn't alone. She saw no one but she knew with everything that she was that she wasn't alone in that moment. But her mind and her body were fighting now and she awoke with only a whimper, forcing the scream back inside._

The Doctor didn't know what to tell Adam, as odd as it was it could be something that was really nothing. He could check he was lying next to her awake, and all it would take it a touch. But he didn't reach, didn't try, and couldn't explain why, so he was glad no one knew to ask. He liked that Adam had taken to him enough to tell him about the situation, if it was one, but he had let the conversation go easily. He asked the Doctor if he would stay close to them, just to be sure that they were okay. The Doctor found he didn't want to be too far from this girl now, anyway. Around her, all the pain he was hiding was forgotten for a moment.

He closed his eyes, trying to force sleep to come, the sound of breathing and fire and rainfall began a chorus in the night and he tried to focus on nothing else. He heard her whimper softly but was surprised when he looked over and she was sitting up, eyes closed tightly, breathing much too fast. She seemed to be having a nightmare so he moved closer to her, but didn't reach out at first, thinking maybe she would calm on her own. In another moment, and another tiny noise of distress he looked to see if anyone else had waken but no one had moved. He closed the gap between them wrapping his arms around her slowly; giving her dreaming mind a chance to realize this wasn't an attack. She didn't struggle though, she was shaking in his arms, and he couldn't let this dream continue.

"Aubree," he whispered quietly, close to her ear. "Wake up, now. You're okay."

She shook harder though and didn't wake so he tried again. "Come on, sweetheart. I've got you, wake up now."

And the shaking stopped and he pulled back to look at her eyes looking back up at him. She still looked scared but also embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," she told him, trying to slow her breathing.

"No," he thought about releasing her but she didn't make a move so he waited. "It's okay, we all have bad dreams."

"Yeah," she agreed her voice weak. "Sorry."

"Don't be," he murmured. "If you want to talk about it I'm available to listen."

And to his relief she smiled at him, "I…do I…should I move."

He looked at his arms, holding her to him so she rested against his chest. It wasn't sexual in the least bit, but if she felt uncomfortable he wouldn't argue. "If you want."

"Maybe I can stay for just a minute?" Her words were soft, and worried.

"Sure," he said agreeably. "So tell me about this dream."

She adjusted so that she was still in his arms, but could look at him, and started. "There was this woman, really nice, she was, and she was talking to me about…it's hard to remember that part. But then my chest hurt, like something had hit me and I was dying. I could feel myself dying."

He waited to make sure she was finished. "That does sound scary," he agreed. "But here you are safe and sound. " He looked at her head, the deep gash barely a scratch now. "Healing and very much alive."

"It was so real," she muttered.

"Dreams can seem real," the Doctor agreed and moved his hand to smooth her hair away from her face. His fingers moved over her temple and he thought about looking but he didn't pause.

Her breathing had slowed once again and her eyes had closed, leaving him holding a sleeping, near stranger. He moved to lay her back on the ground but she whimpered when he started to release her and he pulled her back to him. She snuggled into his chest, and her breathing became steady and he moved again, shifting so he could hold her more comfortably.

He didn't know when he fell asleep, or how he managed it sitting up and holding someone to him, but he had. Sunlight was peeking under the tarp and the rest of the group was asleep aside from Adam who was watching them intently. "She had a nightmare." The Doctor explained, hoping he wouldn't think that this was something it wasn't.

Adam smiled, "Yeah, I know."

"You were awake?"

""Yep," he said calmly.

"You probably would have been more of a comfort to her," he didn't mean for it to sound condoning. He hadn't been upset to help her through the night, and he didn't object to holding a warm body to him.

"No," he shook his head. "She didn't need a…well I guess a boyfriend. She needed someone stronger, more father like. Not that you're old or anything."

"What makes you think she needed someone like a father?" She was old enough that she probably had retreated from her parents attachment as all kids did as some point.

Adam frowned. "Its… I can't explain it. She had a father, of course. But there is something else there, like…oh, it's too hard to make clear."

"Adam," he started unsure of why he was willing to tell him this. "I can read minds…if I touch her I can see her memories. If you want, I can try to figure out what is going on here." He didn't say that he wouldn't do it without her permission but he hoped that Adam would know that.

There was a long silent pause, and the Doctor looked down to Aubree again, her gash gone. He shifted her which made her stir but when he didn't release her she calmed again, and he felt her arm, which was now healed. He would check on Kyle but was sure that the same had happen to him, which meant that they could head into town today.

"If she doesn't belong here…" Adam started. "If she isn't who I think she is, what do I do Doctor?"

"If something is going on, I don't think she is trying to deceive you. I don't think she knows either." The Doctor said.

"I know," Adam nodded. "But I fell in love with her, and what if she isn't that person?"

"What do you love about her, Adam?"

Adam smiled slightly, "I love that she isn't afraid to try and try again. And how she is willing to stand in to protect anyone before herself. Her laugh, the way she rolls her eyes."

"And you think that any of that is not real?"

"No," he shook his head. "I guess not."

"Do you want me to look?"

"No," Adam shook his head. "No, I don't."


	9. Chapter 9

When he felt like Aubree was closer to waking he tried to move her back to the ground again, and this time he released her despite her groan. She laid there for a moment and then she opened her eyes, and sat up looking first to Adam who gave her a smile and then to the Doctor.

"How do you feel," Adam asked her, rising from his spot and moving to sit next to her.

"Better," she ran her hand down her face. "I've got a recovery headache."

"Yeah," he told her gently. "Want me to get rid of it?"

She made a face. "That hurts more."

"Only for a second," he reminded.

"Do it," she muttered.

The Doctor wasn't sure that he was going to like what Adam was about to do, but it seemed like something that they had done before. He watched as Adam reached out behind her head and then his hand moved forward quickly.

He grabbed her at the base of the head and squeezed very tightly, and her head rolled back and she paled. The Doctor started to say something but he stopped when Adam let go again. After a moment, and a shaky breath she lowered her head and rolled her neck. To the Doctors relief she smiled.

"Thanks," she told Adam.

"You're very welcome," he kissed her cheek quickly and then stood up.

Aubree looked back at him and he couldn't help but return the smile that she offered him. "I'm sorry about the delay, but we can make town today easily."

"I'm just sorry you and Kyle were hurt," he told her kindly.

She just nodded and looked to Kyle. Then she moved closer to him and put her hands on his cheeks and he sat up quickly.

"Good morning," she told him.

He glared at her for a moment and then relaxed. "I told you not to do that."

"I know," she ruffled his hair and stood. "I'm just a bad listener."

He shook his head and looked over at the Doctor. "How are you feeling Kyle?"

"Better, but my head hurts."

"I can help," Aubree offered.

"Last time you did it wrong and I couldn't feel my arm for an hour," he told her but it wasn't in a mean tone.

"I've got it A," Adam told her and smiled as he passed.

He squatted down next to him and when Kyle nodded his head he repeated the action he had done to Aubree. When he released him Kyle looked brighter.

"Kind of gives you a buzz," he muttered as the Doctor looked at him.

He wasn't entirely sure why what they were doing worked, but he guessed it had something to do with nerve compression.

The Doctor rose and watched as the others woke up and after a quick breakfast they began to pack up, and he tried to help them but they seemed so in tune with each other he was only hurting the progress.

Aubree took pity on him and motioned for him to follow her, when he caught up to her so looked at him. "We are going to get a head start. Don't worry, I can keep you safe."

"I don't doubt that," he told her. "You don't need to do that though."

"Of course I do," she told him simply and he felt her warm hand slid into his.

He didn't fight it, just adjusted his grip so he was holding her back and smiled to himself.

"Do you have a plan?" she asked him.

"Not really, it's a work in progress."

"I love works in progress. What fun is there when it's completely figured out?"

He liked Aubree, he liked her very much, and he half entertained the idea that she might like a trip in the TARDIS. But she had a life here, at least she would when he corrected things, and he didn't know if he could take her with the risk of losing her.

How many more lives would he ruin before he learned that no matter how hard it was people were better off without him? Even if he wanted to take her, even if she wanted to go, he didn't want that for her. He refused to ruin another life.

"You said last night that dreams can seem real," she changed the subject.

"I did," he remembered. "Sometimes you can almost think that they are." He didn't think that he should tell her that sometimes they were, or sometimes they would be.

"I've…the dream…I can't stop thinking that maybe something is wrong with me."

"Of course there isn't," he told her. "I know what The Dean did but that doesn't make there something wrong with you."

"I don't mean what The Dean did."

He knew that, he just wasn't going to be the one to bring it up. He knew that somehow this connected to his conversation that he had with Adam.

"What do you mean, then?"

She sighed, and didn't speak at first. He walked along in the silence, trying to figure out how to answer the question that he didn't know yet.

"Do you think it's possible to be someone else," she asked, her cheeks blushing.

"What do you mean?" He was a little confused now.

"Can you…is it possible to change how you look…like your still you but not exactly?"

He hesitated. "Can I or can people?"

She gave him an odd look. "Can people? Why can you?"

"No," he didn't answer the second question. "Humans can't. Why are you asking?"

"No reason I guess," she sounded disappointed.

He couldn't let this go, not when she seemed so sad about it. He didn't know why but he felt like it was his job to make her feel better.

"Aubree, you can tell me anything. I will do whatever I can to help you."

She looked at him, and then behind them and then back. "I've had these…visions? And I can't see clearly but there is a woman, and a man…I think. And it's me…but not." She looked up at him and then at the ground. "I must sound crazy."

He stopped walking but didn't release her hand. This was nothing, it couldn't be anything. "What are you doing in these visions?"

"Walking, running, talking. And then in the dream…something hurt me."

His mind was reeling, and he wanted to say the right words. He truly only wanted to help her. He was getting ready to speak when she shook her head and he could hear the others approaching.

"Everything okay," Kyle asked as they joined him and Aubree.

"Yes," Aubree and he answered the same time.

"Good," he nodded. "Let's go then."


	10. Chapter 10

The walk was quiet, with Aubree by his side, hand in his, and he wouldn't admit how much he was enjoying the feeling. It was about an hour before he could see the tips of buildings and he could feel the change in the group around him. All smiles fell from their faces and they all looked very intent. He looked to Aubree who smiled at him for a second and then returned to listening.

"It's not like they are expecting us," she spoke to the group after another few tense moments.

Kyle gave her a look, "No, but if we aren't careful they will detect us."

"They are going to do that anyway, the scanners are bound to be up and working."

"Scanners?" The Doctor asked her, hoping they weren't walking into an ambush.

She looked at him and smiled again, but it was less sincere. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

He shook his head, couldn't get past the fact that she was the one protecting him. "I'm not worried about me."

"Oh," her smile faltered. "Don't worry about us; we know what we are facing."

"Don't worry him, A," Adam told her gently.

"You don't have to hide anything from me," he responded in the same gentle tone, but looking at Aubree. She was his best bet to find the truth.

She gave a tiny sigh, and stopped. "They built scanners, modified to the faulty genes. So that they would know if one of us entered the city."

"So they will know that you're there at once."

She nodded. "In theory we could just run and be at the Square in seconds but…"

"But I can't go that fast," he finished her thought.

She didn't make eye contact. "Maybe, you guys can go on and I'll go with him."

"No," the group said in unison.

"It's not safe alone," Kyle pleaded with her.

"I won't be alone," she looked to the Doctor with confidence.

"No," Kyle repeated. "I won't let you, we will all go together."

"It'll be a war," she told him with force. "We can't have a battle in the town."

The Doctor noticed how Kyle's face fell at her words, as if he knew that she was speaking the truth. He saw a tear rolling down several faces and he wondered how bad this was going to be. He hadn't planned on destruction, not that he ever did. He was going to stop The Dean and fix them that was all he wanted.

"Maybe I can just go alone," he told them.

"No," she shook her head wiping at her face with her free hand. "You'll bear traces of us for a little while. It would be enough to detect you."

"I won't let you put yourself in danger," he said it to her, but he was speaking to all of them.

"Okay," Kyle said. "We will meet you there; distract them as best as we can."

Aubree nodded, but the Doctor suddenly saw a flash of white light behind his eyes and he fell to his knees. His hearts were beating frantically, and he felt like he had stepped too near a fire, for the warmth that invaded him. He tried to blink away the feeling. It didn't really hurt, just was overwhelming.

"Are you okay," Aubree had leaned down, and was touching his face gently.

His senses were flooded, her voice taking on a depth and melody that it hadn't had before, or rather he hadn't heard before. He could hear traffic in the city as well as if he was standing on a street corner. He looked up at her, seeing her face, in intense shades of color, even for him. The brown in her eyes divided into different shades in a looping pattern that he knew must be the same as his if he could see them.

"Doctor," she tried again, and he could hear the cadence of concern.

He smiled at her and when she returned it he thought that he had never seen such beauty in his life, and he could see the trees and the grass were actually many tones of pink. "Can you transfer the genes," he asked her, his own voice a song of beauty now.

She shrugged. "I don't think so…why?"

He swallowed. "Don't touch me for a second."

She dropped her hands and he could see the pain fill her face, and he regretted his words. But he could also feel the sensations fading, the colors dulling slowly until the grass had returned to one shade. "I'm sorry, I was just testing," he reached out his hand to hers and she took it easily as he rose to his feet.

It took another moment, but without the flash this time, the landscape was being painted before his eyes. "Testing what?" She asked him, and he doubted he would have heard the hurt if it wasn't amplified.

"You said I bear a trace of you," he reminded her and she nodded. "I think, somehow, when in contact with me, you are…loaning me your genes."

"Is that possible?"

He grinned, "Anything is possible, I don't know if it extends to running or just the more subtle changes."

She gave him a half smile, "Only one way to find out."

The group nodded, and they took off and with a look to Aubree he started to move forward. He found it hard to keep his footing at the speed they had reached but it began to come easier and he held tight to her hand not wanting to be separated at this speed. He would have imagined everything being a blur, but he could still take in the details of everything that he passed.

She took a sharp right, and he had to squeeze to maintain the connection but he corrected it easily and he could see a large building in the center of the city, which must have taken up most of the city itself. She took another left but he didn't struggle now, each moment more natural than the last. When she slowed at last he could make out the sirens that were going off in the city and he could see the worry etched in the young faces.

"In through the basement," she asked Kyle, who nodded.

As they rounded the corner the Doctor was able to see the figure that he would have before that hit Acton at a run but Acton just shoved it back. The figure now slowed, was a young man, apparently a full Enforcer and the Doctor couldn't find a trace of humanity in his eyes, though he watched them turn from blue to brown in his presence.

The Enforcer shifted his gaze as he pushed back against Acton. He took in the Doctors form. "Should have known you losers would have found a Human."

"Not a human," the Doctor told him absently.

"Close enough," the voice growled, and pushed harder but Acton wouldn't budge.

"Stop," Acton told him, the Doctor was surprised to hear compassion in the word.

"Never," the Enforcer told him.

"Last chance," Acton stated.

"No."

Acton spun his around quickly pulling him to his body and giving what looked like a hug, but the Doctor could hear the bones cracking in the body. And after a moment the man hung limply in Acton's arms and he was laying him in the corner, with a gentleness that said everything.

He could see the discomfort of what he had just done in Acton but he just sighed. "Come on, he was new, we won't get so lucky next time."

The door was pulled open easily but Kyle and they moved in swiftly but in silence. A new alarm went off above their heads though and he could make out Aubree rolling her eyes. "Stay here," she told the Doctor releasing his hand and the world faded into dull again.


	11. Chapter 11

The Doctor could hear what was obviously a fight down the hall but when he began to lean out he was pushed back gently but Aubree's hands. He only knew it was her from the briefest glimpse of clarity.

So he stayed put, unwillingly, but he did. He waited until the sounds stopped and when he stepped out he saw bodies littering the ground. He ran forward, looking carefully to see which ones were from their side. He felt intense relief when he saw Aubree leaning down over Acton.

He moved to his side, reaching out to touch his neck. There was no pulse and he looked at her.

"He's…"

She nodded. "Yes."

"I'm sorry," he told her.

She swallowed. "Check the others please, we don't have long."

He rose moving to the only other fallen one from their side who was Kayden. He too was gone, and the Doctor growled inside himself.

This wasn't meant to happen. He should have come alone. But he doubted he would have made it even this far without them.

He felt a familiar hand slid into his and he looked up to see a pair of determined brown eyes. He rose and the others looked at him, waiting on an order he didn't want to give.

"Let's go." He said at last, and wondered if he had just instructed any others to head for their deaths. Not if he could help it.

They made it up the stair without being stopped and the Doctor had the strong suspicion that they were being allowed, not lucky. He didn't voice his concerns but took quite comfort of the hand he was holding.

They met two Enforcers at the top of the stairs, eyes hard, faces controlled.

He thought one of his might attack but they didn't seem to want to if it wasn't required. He loved them for it.

"You will come with us," an icy voice told them.

"Drew," Aubree was watching him carefully.

The face slid into confusion. "I am Alan."

She nodded. "Course you are." Her voice lowered. "Doesn't know any other letters if you ask me."

"You will come with us," Drew…Alan told them and pointed his gun at them.

"That isn't necessary," the Doctor told him stepping between the others and the gun. "We will come, but not at gun point."

He waited and after a moment the gun dropped. "Come."

The Doctor nodded, relived, and wasn't surprised when his hand was filled again. He gave her his best smile as they moved forward.

The door at the end of the hall opened and they were escorted into a large office. He didn't know what he expected to see at the desk but all he saw was a human. He was certain it was a Human too, though he wasn't sure how he knew. Perhaps the connection helped.

"Welcome," the voice spoke.

"Not a very good welcoming party," the Doctor told him. "They tried to kill us."

"Yes, well," the man waved his hand absently. "They do that. They are so good at doing what they are told."

He looked at obvious distaste and the group before him. "Most of them, anyway."

The Doctor looked at the faces fondly. "You know what I think?"

The Dean smiled. "Please share."

"I think they were just much too good for you. Too much good for you to try to put all that bad into, and it could never win. Because you know what? You can change a body, and you can manipulate emotions, but you can't change a soul."

"Oh, well I'm glad you cleared that up, then," he rose and looked out the window. "You know, I really just wanted to make this city better."

"You have a funny way of showing it," the Doctor told him. He had expected comments from the group but they didn't say anything.

"Sometimes it takes a little force to improve things."

"A little force? You extracted alien genes forcefully manipulated them…to fit into your little plan. And then you stole these people, and injected them against their will."

The Dean actually looked surprised. "I was doing them a favor. Making them better. Helping them…especially you Aubree."

She looked at him now, her brow drawn up though the Doctor wasn't sure if it was anger or thought. For the first time she spoke. "What do you mean?"

He waved his hand like it didn't matter.

"No," this was anger now but restrained. "Tell me. I think I deserve to know."

"You aren't like the others, Aubree."

He could see a sad conformation running across the faces. It would seem the others had always known, no matter what they said. But they had loved her all the same.

"I…"

Her voice cracked and the Doctor decided it was his turn to talk again. "Why isn't she like the others?"

"We…my lab…we did everything we could to make you seem like us. We didn't know what else to do, when we found you. We found injections that worked…at first…and came up with false memories. We gave you a life."

The Doctor looked from Aubree to the Dean. "Okay, we are going to revisit this, but first I need to tell you that this is going to end. Either by your choice or by mine."

The Dean sighed. "I…I really just wanted to help. But people wouldn't listen. They fought back, didn't know what was good for them."

The Doctor felt the smallest amount of pity for The Dean. He really seemed lost, like it had all just gotten out of hand.

"What's your name…really?"

The Dean looked up, "Paul."

"Paul," the Doctor repeated. "It's not up to you to decide what is best for them. They have to have the choice, or they will fight back."

The Doctor could see resolve flash in Paul's eyes. "It's stupid, so stupid. How can they not see its better this way?"

"It's not life though," Aubree said softly, releasing the Doctors hand and moving closer. "We are our choices…who we chose to be…and if take that away, then we are nothing. No one wants to be nothing; no one deserves to be nothing?"

Paul looked at her carefully, "I loved you...it killed me to give you to your parents…I wanted to raise you but they didn't think it was best."

She looked confused. "I don't…"

"You don't remember its okay. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I never meant to hurt you. Only…the injections stopped working, and I was desperate."

"Tell me how to fix this," the Doctor stepped in, trying to remember the bigger picture.

Paul looked only at Aubree. "It's over?"

She nodded, seeming to know, even if she couldn't understand that he needed to hear it from her. "Yes, please."

He nodded. "I'll take you to the labs…I'm not sure how long it will take to figure out an antidote."

"You got me," the Doctor told him, allowing a small smile.

Paul nodded. "Off we go."


	12. Chapter 12

They made it down to the lab without any trouble, and the Doctor set to work. There were Enforcers shuffling around outside and they seemed antsy but they stayed where they were told. The Doctor looked under the microscope again, watching carefully, until he saw the desired result.

He waited a moment longer, to be certain that the genes faded back into the back ground. He was sure that it would work, and these lives that had been changed could be changed back. They would be losing but they would also be gaining.

"All right," the Doctor told Paul, "I've got it, and we can start at once, but I want you to explain to Aubree everything she needs to know."

Paul swallowed thickly but nodded, and Aubree watched him with wide eyes.

"Well we found you crashed on a beach, five years ago. You were…well we didn't know the species but when you woke up at last you didn't know who you were. Aubree, we really wanted to do what was best for you, and we feared if the others thought you were different they would treat you that way."

"So we made injections, to make you Human…well to appear Human, but they stopped working. Your body adapted and that's when we came up with the Enforcer injections. It only started out as a way to slow your bodies' adaptation. But then we thought about it and we could use it to make this world a better place."

Aubree was looking to the Doctor with tears in her eyes, and he nodded to her, though he didn't know what she was asking.

"So you implanted memories in people's minds, and made them think that she had grown up here."

"Yes, we…I was so scared. And after I lost my daughter I thought that if I could give you a life, a better life, then maybe it would be a second chance. But they thought you should go to your parents, and then I would see you with Kyle and you seemed so happy."

Kyle looked at Aubree with tenderness in his eyes, and Adam was searching her face as though he was just hearing conformation to what he knew.

"You don't think that this is worse for her," the Doctor asked, honestly. "To find out her who life has been made up and that she isn't Human after all."

Paul looked down, "I'm sorry, I really am. I loved you, sweetheart, and I just wanted you to have a life here."

Aubree didn't speak to him, though she did move closer and touched his shoulder. He looked up at her and she smiled at him and then looked to the Doctor.

"Let's get this show on the road, and then we can go from there."

The Doctor nodded to her and she smiled at him brightly. He started with the ones in the room, giving the injection one at a time. It only took a couple of minutes before they had returned to normal, wonderful, Humans. They hugged and smiled, and the Doctor was thankful that he was able to give them something back.

"Aubree," he asked her, and she nodded.

She walked over and he gave her the injection with a tender smile. She would go back to being whatever she was, but he wouldn't leave her until she was settled in to that role.

She sat in the corner alone, waiting for it to work, while Paul instructed the other Enforcers to come in and sit down. They waited as patiently as they could, except for the one on the end, who was shifting uncomfortably.

The Doctor shouldn't have been surprised when he jumped up and headed to him, but he was and he could only try to take a step back, but he never felt an impact. He saw the Enforcer stop as though it hit a wall and then with a loud crack the Enforcer and Aubree fell to the ground in a heap.

The Doctor moved towards them, knowing that she had used what had to be her last burst of energy to save him and he was scared that she was hurt.

He squatted down, pulling Aubree away from the other Enforcer while Paul moved the boy away from her. He could see Paul feeling for a pulse but he shook his head at the Doctor. The Doctor felt Aubree's neck and felt nothing there.

"No!" he muttered fiercely, he couldn't lose her. He felt her body for a fatal injuries and finding nothing he decided that he would try CPR. He leaned over to blow air into her lungs but when his lips touched hers, with no walls to stop the thoughts he was reliving a moment with Donna and Jenny.

He looked down at her, with wonder in his eyes. If she had regenerated and crashed here, then it was possible that this was her. He blew air into her lungs and then pumped over one side of her chest and then the other.

He did it over and over until Paul moved to his side and placed a hand on his arms but he didn't slow. "She's gone, Doctor."

He didn't say that he had already lost her once, but he fought for her like he had. At long last he sat back on his heels and tears rolled down his face. He touched her cheek again, hoping that if he couldn't get her back he could be certain that it was her, and maybe she would regenerate.

There was no flash of images, nothing to show that there was anything left of the girl in there.

He wiped away at his tears, and felt like he had lost everything again.

He turned away, trying to compose himself when he heard a breath being sucked in and he whipped around to see her chest rising and falling and she opened her eyes slowly. Her face was the same as it had been a minute ago, but she was very much back with them.

"Scared me," he moved to her side, wanting to ask her a million questions but if she didn't remember than he didn't want to overload him.

"Dad?"

He let out a shaky breath, "Jenny?"

She smiled slowly, "I remember… I never thought I would see you again, but you found me."

He nodded. "What happened? I thought…"

"I woke up, and then I may have borrowed a ship, and everything is blurry but then I was here."

He didn't know what to feel, his hearts were soaring and falling and he was trying to adjust to suddenly having her back in his life.

"That's the second time you stepped in the way for me, young lady," he joked.

"You must be worth it," she smiled and then with his help she sat up.

He looked into those eyes, and couldn't help but pull her into a hug. He didn't know what she would want, if she would want to come with him, or if she had a life her now, with Adam but he for this moment, he could hold her in his arms.

For this moment, he had his child back where she belonged.


End file.
